Two sources who recruit for Mississippi State said that Cecil Newton and his son, quarterback Cam Newton, admitted in separate phone conversations to a pay-for-play plan while Newton was being recruited late last year.

Mississippi State compliance officials relayed the alleged conversations to Southeastern Conference compliance officials in January, according to two other sources close to the football program.

Prior to Newton’s commitment to Auburn, one of the recruiters said Cecil Newton told him it would take “more than a scholarship” to bring his son to Mississippi State, a request the source said the school would not meet. Cecil Newton also referred the recruiter to a third person that would provide more specifics, the source said.

After Newton committed to Auburn, another source said an emotional Cam Newton phoned another recruiter to express regret that he wouldn’t be going to Mississippi State, stating that his father Cecil had chosen Auburn for him because “the money was too much.”

Unpacking this, it seems pretty clear that Dan Mullen’s denials of involvement need to be taken skeptically. I’d say the same thing about Auburn’s strenuous denials, except I find it interesting that the SEC was told about these conversations at the beginning of the year and let things roll merrily along. That indicates to me that no one has come up with any hard evidence to support this – yet.

… Reached late Tuesday night by phone, Cecil Newton Sr., told FOXSports.com that he had no comment.

“I’m not going to confirm nor deny nothing that has been taking place,” Cecil Newton said.

Asked if he had seen the report, the elder Newton said that he knew “nothing about this whole thing.”

“I’ve answered what I need to answer,” Cecil Newton said. “If they’re out there, go with it and make the decision or determination based on whatever you’ve got to say.”

It’s worth watching what Auburn’s official response to this is. This is no longer a situation where easy condemnation of another program’s disclosure of confidential information is all that needs to be said. Now the school’s credibility is directly at stake. You can bet there’s some mad scrambling going on behind the scenes tracking back every booster’s move at the time this was alleged to have taken place.

A fast resolution would be nice, but this is the NCAA we’re talking about. They don’t do fast resolutions.

Another thing, apparently Cecil Newton didn’t pay attention what happened to Tiger and how the whole say nothing thing worked out for him. Once these media people start digging they will find something.

it’s funny: early in the year, the refrain heard from college football wags about what athletes under ncaa investigation should do is immediately and completely spill their guts (because of dez bryant). but the message conveyed by the newton situation in comparison to the aj situation is that you’re a fool if you cooperate with the ncaa.

At this point, it may be all circumstantial. But, considering these circumstances, Newton, at least Cecil, seems guilty as hellI am giddy as hell at Auburn’s misfortune I wonder what the hell the SEC is doing. Why have they been sitting on this?

Especially, now it looks like Auburn is the only shot that the SEC has at the MNC. What would be the financial gains of leaving Newton eligible, only finding out after the season that he and Auburn are guilty. You might have to give back wins, but how about the MNC money?

So we’re supposed to believe that the Newtons were smart enough to hide the money where the NCAA couldn’t find it when they came calling, which they apparently have, and yet we’re supposed to believe that they’re stupid enough to fess up about taking money when apologizing to representatives of another SEC school for not coming to play? In what universe would they not expect the rival school not to come forward and bust them?

I give some credence to the Stoopes comment – keep in mind he unhesitatingly released an upperclassman QB on the eve of Fall camp a few years ago when they were highly rated and had nobody else ready – because he found out the kid had taken money for a “job” in a local car dealership.

This whole story is about the NCAA’s lack of control and inability to get to the bottom of any allegation where the accused does not build his own scaffold and furnish his own rope. The only mistake that the Newtons made was to not deny, deny deny. At this point if the case is proven the fact they lied will add little to the punishment. Meanwhile I think we have seen a one and done Cam. If he took the money to come to Auburn his dad has already shopped the agents and has been shown the money. I have a lot of Auburn friends and they could care less if he did it, they just hope the NCAA can’t prove it. College Football has become a sport where the fans have to take showers after the all the stuff that goes on.